New 'Apprentice' winner Sean Yazbeck clarifies he's not engaged

By Reality TV World staff, 06/07/2006

Just in case The Apprentice 5's lack of a formal post-finale "reunion" show and rather abrupt ending left viewers confused about his live finale statement that he was planning to marry fellow contestant Tammy Trenta, The Apprentice winner Sean Yazbeck has clarified that despite his vocal pronouncement, the pair are not engaged.

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"I just want to say, we're not getting married," Sean explained during his appearance on Wednesday morning's broadcast of Live with Regis and Kelly. According to Sean, while the couple is presently dating, his pronouncement was simply an unintended result of Apprentice star Donald Trump deciding to spend a significant portion of the show's brief final live boardroom debate prodding Sean about his relationship with Tammy.

"What happened is he asked me like a hundred times 'You going to marry her?,' 'You going to marry her?', he explained to Live co-hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa. "He was grilling me, ya know, and then he said 'You're in love' and he said 'You are' and I said 'Yes Mr. Trump' or 'Yes' -- meaning I'm in love but, we're not getting married but we are dating and we're very happy."

According to Sean, Tammy -- who appeared to enjoy a hearty laugh when Sean blurted out his live finale statement -- reacted well to Sean's declaration and recognized that such behavior is just part of his "passionate nature." "She actually took me aside after and said 'When were you going to tell me that we're getting married?,'" Sean explained.

Although Trump used a good portion of The Apprentice 5's brief pre-hiring live boardroom session to ask Sean about his relationship with Tammy, Trump didn't give Sean an opportunity to clarify his boardroom comment -- or make any other post-victory comments -- after announcing that he had won the competition.

Instead, The Donald -- rather shamefully -- repeatedly chided Sean to stop exchanging congratulatory hugs and handshakes with the show's other contestants and instead immediately run off stage so that the show could promote its vehicle sponsor via the broadcast of a pre-recorded clip that showed Sean test driving the car that came with his win (where Sean was actually huddled for the balance of the broadcast is unclear.) In addition to denying Sean the chance to immediately celebrate his victory, the abrupt nature of Trump's order also seemed to surprise the live broadcast's producers, leaving them with little choice but to fill what appeared to be several unanticipated minutes of open broadcast time with awkward footage of Trump and the rest of The Apprentice 5's previously eliminated contestants milling about stage as the crowd clapped and the show's music looped loudly in the background.